Receptacles, such as dispensers for salt, pepper, or the like condiments



Nov. 14, 1961 AMISON RECEPTACLES, SUCH AS DISPENSERS FOR SALT, PEPPER, OR THE LIKE CONDIMENTS Filed Jan. 15, 1959 IN VEN TOR.

HAQOX JAM/SON A TTQIZNEK nited States Patent v3,008,610,- RECEPTACLES, SUCH AS DI PENSERS FORSALT, PEPPER, ORTHE LIKE CONDIMENTS Harry Jamison 162-F-01 Powell Cove Blvd.,

liejechhursLN; Filed-Jan; 15, 1959, Ser. No. 787,022 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-173) This invention rel-ates to receptacles. It is particularly directed to a receptacle for powdered or granular material, or other material,- such as" dispensers'for'salt, pepper, or the like condiments. An objectof this invention is to provide adispensing receptacle ofthe character described, comprising a body provided at its'upperend means. through which material within" the receptacle may, be dispensed, a cap closing said upper end, said cap being so constructed as to support the receptacle in upside down position, and the other end of said body" being open and provided with aremovable eap for closing said other end, and whereby upon removal of the last mentioned cap, material from the receptacle maybe dispensed through said other end while the receptacle is supported in upsidedown position. on the first cap.

Another object of this invention toprovidea dispenser for powdered material embodying the invention, comprising at its upper end small openings through which the powdered material may be shaken, a cap fitted over said upper end and closing said openings, and being so constructed as to support the receptacle when it is turned upside down, on a flat supporting surface, the other end of the body being open and provided with a cap removably secured thereto, so that when said second cap is removed, powdered material from the receptacle may be spooned out.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a receptacle of the character described, comprising a molded plasitc body having openings at opposite ends, caps removably fitted on said opposite ends to close said ends of said body, and each of said caps being so constructed that the receptacle may be stood up on either end, and whereby material may be dispensed from either end of the receptacle.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged, and durable receptacle of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which shall yet be practical and eflicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in I which is shown various illustrative embodiments of this invention,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and showing the upper cap lifted, in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 3 is a view to FIG. 2, but showing the receptacle supported in upside down position, and showing the lower cap removed, in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating a modified construction; and

FIG. 5 is a partial, enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line -5--5 of FIG. 1.

Referring now detail to the drawing, a receptacle or dispenser embodying the invention. The same comprises a body 11, which maybe made of styrene designates 2 or acrylic,'or other-preferably clear or transparent rigid synthetic plastic. .The body 11 comprises an annular tapered portion 12, provided with an upper annular shoulder. 13, from. which extends upwardly a neck 14, provided with atop wall 15. The top wall 15 may be transversely convexly curved, and is formed with a number of small openings 16, through which salt, pepper or. other condiments, maybe shaken. The body 11 is open at its lower end, and. is provided with a lower rim edge 17- in a plane perpendicular to the axis of body 11. Above the rim edge 17, the body 11 iszfo'rmed with an external annular groove 18 of transversely concave curved cross-section; Frictionally fitted onto the top of the neck 14 is a cap 20. The cap 20 is preferably made of polyethylene. synthetic plastic, or other soft, flexible, somewhat resilient material, and may be made of any suitable color.

The cap 20 comprises a top portion 21, adapted to overlie and contact the top wall 15, and closing the opening 16. Extending downwardly from portion 21 is a skirted portion 22 fnictionally engaging the neck 14. Extending from the junction of portions 21 and 22 of cap 20 is an upwardly and outwardly flaring flange portion 23 having an annular top rim edge 24, disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the body 11.

The lower end of the body 11 is closed by a bottom cap 30. Cap 30 comprises a flat central annular portion 31 contacting the lower rim edge 17 of the body. Extending upwardly from central portion 31 is an annular skirted portion 32 surrounding the lower end of portion 12 of body 11. Said skirted portion 32 may be tapered upwardly and inwardly, and it is provided at its inner surface with an annular external ridge or head 34, adapted to snap into the groove 18 when the annular wall 31 contacts the rim edge 17. Extending from the junction of walls 31 and 32 is an annularoutwardly and downwardly extending flange 35, adapted to contact the surface on which the receptacle stands. The bottom cap 30 is also preferably made of polyethylene, or other suitable soft, flexible, somewhat resilient material, and may be of any suitable color.

The body 11, as well as the caps 20 and 30, may be injection molded. The outer surface of the lower rim edge 17 is preferably bevelled or rounded, as shown at 17a to aid in permitting the bottom cap 30 to be readily snapped onto the lower end of the body.

it will now be understood that salt, pepper, or other powdered condiments or spices, may be packed in the receptacle 10. When it is desired to shake out some condiments, the top cap 20 may be removed, and after use, the top cap may be again friction-ally fitted onto the neck 14. However, if it is desired to spoon out larger quantities of the condiments, or other material in the receptacle 10, said receptacle may be turned upside down so that it is supported on the cap 20. In such case the rim edge 24 of said cap 20 contacts the horizontal supporting surface. Thereafter, may be snapped oil the body, presenting a large opening, to permit a spoon to be inserted, so that the powdered material may be dispensed from the receptacle 10 with a spoon.

In FIG. 4 there is shown a receptacle 10a, illustrating a modification of the invention. The receptacle 10a is similar to the receptacle 10, except that the neck has no top wall. Said receptacle 10a is provided with a body 11a having a neck 14a, formed with an opening 50. Thus, the opening 50 may be closed by the cap 20. Otherwise, the receptacle is the same as described heretofore. Receptacle 10a may contain either powdered material or liquid. The receptacle 10a illustrates an im-' proved method of making a receptacle entirely of three injectionmolded parts.

the cap 30 I It will thus be seen that there is provided an apparatus in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the condition of practical use.

' As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A shaker receptacle for powdered material comprising an upwardly and inwardly tapering body open at its lower end, and having a reduced neck portion at its upper end, a top wall formed at the upper end of the neck portion, said top wall being formed with pouring openings, a cap removably mounted on said reduced neck'portion and having a top wall disposed over the apertured top wall of said body to close said openings, said cap being provided with an upwardly-and outwardly flaring flange having an annular rim edge disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the body, and a bottom cover removably mounted on the open lower end of said body, said bottom cover serving as a standing base for the receptacle When the latter is disposed on a surface with its lower end at the bottom, said flanged portion of the top cap serving as a standing base when the receptacle is inverted with its upper end disposed at the bottom to allow the bottom cover to be removed for filling the receptacle or for spooning the material there- 2. The shaker receptacle of claim 1 wherein said bottom cover includes a central wall closing the lower open end of the body, and being provided with a flange extending upwardly from s-aidwall fitting around the lower end portion of the body.

3. The shaker receptacle of claim 2 wherein the body is formed with an annular groove in its exterior surface near its lower end, and said upwardly extending flange of said bottom cover is provided'with an inwardly extending annular bead for snapping engagement with said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 131,744 Cooley Oct. 1, 1872 OTHER REFERENCES The Gift and Art Buyer, for November, 1949, page 86. Something New in Salt and Peppers, Davis Mfg. Co. Brooklyn 15, N.Y. 

